by PC Tools

Looks like cyber criminals have turned social networking into a minefield of
threats where one wrong move may have very serious consequences. Long gone are
the days when you could avoid being scammed simply by using antivirus software.
The more aware we are the harder bad guys are working on fooling us. And let me
tell you, their techniques are getting more and more sophisticated! Have a look
at some examples of the latest cyber criminals’ creations and how to avoid
them.

1. Koobface (social networking worm). It gains access to
   Facebook profile pages and directs you to view a video that then encourages you
   to update your Flash player. Malicious files such as flash_update.exe and
   bloivar29.exe are being downloaded and installed which results in a range of
   visible problems, including modifications to your Facebook profile, with the
   immediate result being an error message to contact support. There is also the
   very real potential for your identity and finances to be compromised!
2. Picture files carrying malware are “planted” on social
   networking websites and instant messaging programs. Hackers try to convince you
   that your friend has sent you a message or IM to view pictures. Legitimate
   looking URL when clicked on sends you to an illegitimate website hosting
   malicious files and executables, which have been modified to appear to
   be genuine picture files (jpg, gif or bmp). When you download and open those
   “pictures”; the malware unknowingly runs on your computer. It allows hacker to
   take control over your operating system as well as the information in it and
   exposes you to identity fraud and financial loss!
3. UPS Delivery Threat, also known as Zbot. It delivers an
   illegitimate file when you are visiting a counterfeit UPS delivery site. Zbot
   has been known to distribute via email phishing and instant messenger.  Upon
   informing you that you have missed a UPS delivery, the message urges you to view
   the invoice online, which in fact sends you to the counterfeit website which
   downloads a malicious program designed to bypass the firewall and then steal
   banking and personal information.

So how do we protect ourselves against all this and more?

1. Be wary of unexpected IM messages and emails urging you to open or run an
   attachment or download
2. Run up-to-date anti-virus and anti-spyware software with behavioural
   protection – such as Spyware
   Doctor with AntiVirus. Keep it running in the background at all times.
3. Ensure you run Smart
   Updates and Microsoft updates regularly.
4. If you are asked to update to a new version of a flash player or any other
   program go to producers’ website and download the update directly from it.
5. Organisations usually contact you by phone or mail, so when you get an email
   call them back instead of clicking on any links or attachments.
6. Never let your guard down, it’s better to be too cautious then sorry.

Thanks to my friend Dan Foley for this tip:

Have you ever sat down to write an article, opened up your web browser, opened Google do your research and wished that you could have saved webpages in a file somewhere? Have you also wanted to save some your Word documents there also? How about a couple of e-books and reports?

It’s nice to be able to save everything in one folder. What if you could save them all on-line for no charge?

There is a Web 2.0 service called esnips.com. I’ve been using it for about two years now and it works perfectly. While you can use it to share all kinds of things with others, I’ve been using it is a private place to save my research.

They even provide 5 GB of free storage.

You can use it to:

• Save webpages
• save Word documents
• save PDF files
• save spreadsheets
• save graphics
• save text documents
• save pictures same video
• same links

Because you save everything in different folders you can save as a project, you can build swipe files, you can just save your thoughts if you want to.

Since this is a free service you might want to go to esnips.com set up a new account.

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Best of all it can be made into an “Absolutely Free Business For Life” if you bring 6 people into your team.
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